Strengthen the Foundation of Your Smile with a Dental Bone Graft
While missing teeth can affect your confidence, there are also significant health issues that can develop after tooth loss. There are a variety of restorative options available to replace missing teeth. However, dental implants are widely recognized as the best treatment, providing superior results and improved oral health. Implants eliminate unstable restorations and speech problems that can result from traditional crowns, bridges, and dentures.
Dr. Eugene Stanislaus performs dental bone graft procedures at our Brooklyn Heights, New York, practice. This oral surgery can restore strength to the jaw following tooth loss, and improve candidacy for dental implants. To learn more about his procedure, contact our practice today.
Why Consider a Bone Graft?
Over time, missing teeth can cause the jaw to atrophy, or shrink. After tooth roots are lost, there is a lack of necessary stimulation to the surrounding bone tissue. This loss can weaken the jawbone, affecting its strength and density as the cells are resorbed by the body. Because dental implants replace lost tooth roots with metal posts, having sufficient bone tissue is critical for successful treatment. Bone grafting can allow patients who have suffered from jawbone loss to take advantage of the life-changing benefits of dental implants.
Grafting Procedures
The graft procedure will vary from case to case, and depends on a variety of factors, including the exact treatment location, and the number of implants you will receive.
Bone Graft
To begin the procedure, we will apply a local anesthetic. Dr. Stanislaus may also provide sedation if you are especially nervous. Once the area is fully numbed and you are comfortable, he will create an incision in the gums. Grafts may consist of tissue taken from elsewhere in the body, like the chin or other areas of the mouth. Bone grafts can also come from donated tissue, animal tissue, or synthetic materials. If using your own tissue, the graft is often secured using small metal screws. Dr. Stanislaus will then secure a small piece of grafting material to the treatment site and close the incision.
Socket Preservation
Following tooth extraction there will be a hole left in your jaw, and the alveolar bone will naturally begin to break down. Socket preservation is a procedure that places a graft in the hole left by extraction. This treatment can delay atrophy from occurring, thus making dental implant surgery a viable treatment option in the future. In rare instances, dental implant surgery can be performed immediately following tooth extraction.
Sinus Lift
Implants placed in the upper back portion of the jaw may necessitate a sinus lift. During this procedure, grafting material is added to the sinus floor to gently lift the sinus. This technique ensures there is adequate bone in the area to support an implant once you have fully healed.
Dr. Stanislaus is a highly trained and experienced dentist, able to provide effective, safe bone grafting procedures. These advanced treatments allow more patients than ever before to benefit from dental implants.
Bone Grafting
At Brooklyn Heights Dental, we provide both the surgical placement of dental implants and the restoration of dental implants. In some cases, we need to perform bone grafting to restore the bone to its adequate width before we can place dental implants.
Healing and Recovery
Healing and recovery differs from one individual to the next. However, most patients will need to wait between four to nine months before dental implant surgery can be performed. Immediately following the procedure, Dr. Stanislaus will typically prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection. If needed, he can also provide prescription pain medication.
Learn More
Dr. Stanislaus is a highly trained and experienced dentist, able to provide effective, safe bone grafting procedures. These advanced treatments allow more patients than ever before to benefit from dental implants. To learn more about bone grafting treatment, reach out to our practice.
